Foldable wheeled vehicle for infants



Jan.- 13, 1953 w.- o. VARNER FOLDABLE WHEELED VEHICLE FOR INFANTS 4 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1949 INVENTOR.

'WIL LIAM El. VARNEH B ATTORNEY Jan. 13, 195?? W. O. VARNER FOLDABLE WHEELED VEHICLE FOR INFANTS Filed Sept. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WILLIAM D. VARNER.

ATTORNEY Jan. 13, 1953 w. o. VARNER FOLDABLE WHEELED VEHICLE FOR INFANTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 15, 1949 INVENTOR. VARNER WILLIAM Cl ATTORNEY a 13, 1 w. o. VARNER ,62

FOLDABLE WHEELED VEHICLE FOR INFANTS Filed Sept. 15. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iii R. 21

I INVEN TOR. WILLIAM U.VARNER A TTUHNE'Y Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE FOLDABLE WHEELED VEHICLE FOR INFANTS William Q. Varner, Versailles, Ohio Application September 15, 1949, Serial No. 115,867

This invention relates to a wheeled Vehicle for infants, and more particularly to an adjustable device of this type which by simple manipulation may be adjusted to serve as a stroller, a walker and an automobile seat for the infant.

One object of the invention is to provide a structure of few and simple parts whichmay be simply and quickly manipulated into any one of its various positions of adjustment for its differ ent functions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the wheels may be folded into structure'of the above nature which will prevent soiling of the upholstery of the automobile when the device is usedin the car.

Other'features of novelty relate to details of construction for providing an adjustable and removable handle, an adjustable seat, and a removable foot rest.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle in stroller position of adjustment. .Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device in walker adjustment. 7

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with parts broken away and parts removed as adjusted for attachment to the seat of an automobile. V

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation, with parts in section, of the handle adjustment mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the handle adjustment grip.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom View of the walker adjustment feature.

Fig. '7 is a view in side elevation, with parts broken away, showing the wheels and the folding mechanism in the first stage of the folding position.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view,

; with parts broken away, illustrating the position of the operating mechanism in an intermediate position of adjustment.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view in .reverse position of the mechanism with the wheels in a fully collapsed position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail view of the handle attachment means.

4 Claims. (Cl. 28041) Fig. 11 is an inverted side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the wheel collapsing mechanism in the concealed position of the wheels.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the position assumed by the mechanism in the fully extended position of the wheels. V

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the wheel collapsing mechanism, and

Fig. 14 is a detail sectional view of a front wheel support.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the body is comprised of sides 6, a back rest I, a seat 8, a removable foot rest, an adjustable and removable handle Ill,'front wheels H, and rear wheels l2.

Each side 6 comprises two parallel plates l3 and I4 joined at their front ends by a curved portion l5 to form a cavity or receptacle l6 between them to house pairs of wheels I I and I2 when the vehicle is in a collapsed position. This is best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 13.

An arm rest I! is secured between and overlies the upper edges of each of the pairs of parallel plates l3 and I4 forming the body sides.

The removable foot rest comprises a bottom plate 2!], side plates 2 I, and a front plate 22. Formed upon the inner ends of the side plates 2| are fingers 23 with downwardly projecting hooks 24. Slots 25 in the downwardly turned front edge 26 of the seat 8 receive these hooked fingers in the normal position of'the foot rest.

' Extending through an opening 21 in the seat portion 26 is a slide member 29 slidable in a guide member 30 secured to the bottom face of the seat 8. The guide member 30 is provided with a longitudinal slot 3 I A bolt 32, which is secured to the slide member 29, extends through the slot 3| to receive a clamping wing nut 33. (See Figs. 1, 2 and 6.)

Secured by bolts 35' to the lower front face of the slide member 29 is a'plate 3t terminating in a forwardly and upwardly extending rod 31. The upper end of the rod 31 is attached to a horizontal U-shaped rod 38having its legs passing through openings in the curved portions [5 of the sides 6 into sliding engagement with sockets 39 secured to the lower faces of the arm rests IT. The horizontal rod 38 serves to restrain the infant and to 7 back 42 to support the device on an automobile seat as shown in Fig. 3. The rods 40 are slidable in tubular members 43 secured to the back of the seat 1.

A4 are a pair of sliding rods having angularly disposed ends d5 extending outwardly through a slot ll in the member 44 and into engagement 7 with angularly disposed guide holes 48 in a mov able hand grip 49. The grip 49 is movable in the slot ll and transversely of the tubular member 54 to draw the ends of rods 45 toward eachother and out of engagement with locking depressions 59 in the rods til to release these rods for sliding movement in the tubular members 43.

A plate 5i with right angledends 52 is secured by screws 53 to the inside of the tubular member 54, and these ends provide supporting guides for the inner ends of the rods 45, the outer ends of which pass through guide and stop blocks 54 at opposite ends of the member 44. V

Screw studs 55, which pass freely through holes 55 in the hand grip 49, are secured to the plate; 5 I and are surrounded by compression springs 5, which bear at their opposite ends against the plate 5i and the hand grip 49. The restoring force of the springs 57 against thelower facerof the grip 49 will exert suincient pressure between the bent ends 515 of the rods 45 and the sloping surfaces of the guide holes M to force the rods 45 into locking engagement with the rods 40 when pressure upon the hand grip is released. p

The above described construction provides for an easy one handed manipulation of the handle to adapt it either for'stroller use or for use as a seat in an automobile. a

A pair of angle plates 65 (one being shown in Fig. 13) are secured to the underside of theseat 8. Formed upon one edge of each plate is an angularly disposed latch member 5| adapted to be engaged by the hook end .24 of the fingers 23 A on the side plates 21 'of the foot rest to hold the foot rest in position. By pressing the fingers 23 inwardly, the foot rest 20 may be released for withdrawal from the body. V

The tubular members 43 of the handleextend through slotted brackets 55 attached to the top of the back rest 7. The lower ends of the tubular members are provided with holes which,are engaged by studs 58, carried'bybrackets 69, attached to the lower back corners of the body 5. (See Figsland 10.) v Outward spring pressure exerted by the handle it spreads the lower ends of the tubularmembers 43 against theinner faces of the bracket members 55 to hold the handle in place. ll vhen it is desired to remove the handle entirelyto provide a walker, the lower ends of thetubular members 13 are sprung toward each other toclear the studs 68 and the handle may beremoved by sliding the tubular members 43 upwardlythrough the slotted brackets 55. The walker is made complete by the removal of the handle andthe foot rest, and by the forward adjustment of the slide member 29. V An angular corner plate 10 is secured to adjacent corner portions of the side plates UL and the downwardly turned edge of the seat ,8 at the forward lower corners of thebody'5. 7 (See 1Fig. 13.) A shaft 1 i is rotatably mounted between one leg of each of the angular plates 70' andthe opposite outside plates 13 of the side memberst of the body. A wheel support 12, having a downwardly curved end 13, adapted to receive a caster sheave 15, within which a front wheel is rotatably supported, is bolted to each shaft H. The tubular supports are tied together at their forward ends by a plate 75 so that they may be rotated together around their supporting shafts. (See Fig. '7.)

A shaft 16 is rotatably supported between the rearward lower corners of the sides 5. (See Figs. 11, 12 and {13.) Protecting sheaves 18 within which the rearwheels l2 are rotatably mounted are secured to the shaft 1'5 by means of screws ll. M When collapsing the vehicle for attachment to an automobile seat as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the front wheels are swung through an arc of approximately 180 degrees and the rear ones through an arc of approximately 160 degrees to positions where all four wheels are nested in the pockets or cavities l6 formed between the two members l3 and M of the side walls 6.

The wheels are all moved simultaneously by swinging the front wheels down and forward from the collapsed position. In order to accomplish this movement, a cam and link connection is provided between the front wheel shaftll and the shaft IE to which the rear wheels areconnected. This cam and link mechanism is clearly shown in Figs. 11 12 and 13. A link the "outer end of which is pivotally connected with a strip 5!, is secured to the shaft H of one frontwheel. A plate 82, secured to one end of the strip 81, is providedwith a reverse cam slot 83, which'has sliding movement With the rear wheel shaftlfi.

A crank arm 84, provided with a slot 85, is secured to rotate with the shaft 15. A pin 86, secured to the plate 82, extends through the'slot85 inthe crank arm'8 l.

The operation of the parts above describedjwill be traced on the inverted views as shown in Figs.

11 and 12. In the position of the parts as shown in these views, the shaft 'H, upon being'rotated by the tubular wheel support 12, will'movethe outer end of the link through an arc of japproximately 180 degrees, and this will m ve the plate 82 longitudinally and also vertically in accordance withthe movement of the camsl'otfover the shaft 15. These two movements of the plate 32 will move the pin 86 in the slot'85of 'theerank arm 84 in amanner to limit the total rotational movement or the crank arm and shaft 15 to the same degree of movement as that required to move the rear wheels from their fully collapsed to their ful y extended positions Theopefation for collapsing the wheels willres'ult byreve'rsing the operation above described.

A tension spring liB connecte'd between} the plate 82 and a downwardly extendingjarfgflon the plate [4 of side member 6, serves; to revent the mechanism looking on dead center, V

When the wheels are collapsed into the sid'es of the body as above described, the sheaves in which the wheels are supported will be in an; inverted position and will'catch and retain a'll of the road dirt on the tires, thus preventing soiling of the seat upholstery. 4 g g "A retaining spring latch member is attached at one end to the underside of a flange 9! att'he upper edge of the back I. The member 9B is "bowed downwardly and ihwarm with 'a' hook portion 52 which engages overthe'sha'ft lfi. A projecting ear 93, struckbutwardlyfrom the latch 95, engages in a retaining opening 94 through the tie plate 15 ofthe front wher'shh porting members.

An upwardly projecting stop "memberjilii; secured to the shaft 16,"engages theouter'face of 5 the back member 1 to hold the back wheels I2 in their pavement engaging position.

Flat springs 86 (Figs. 9 and 14) are secured to the underside of the plate 75 near each end thereof. The outer end of each of the springs extends through an opening 99 in the downwardly curved end 73 of the tubular support '32, and engages a flattened portion 87 on the caster stem 79, The engagement of the spring 86 with the caster stem 19 restrains the front wheels against swinging too freely when the device is used as astroller, but does not offer sufficient,

restraint to interfere with its use as a walker.

As shown in Fig. 13, clamping ears 98 are struck inwardly at the lower end of the curved portions l5 of the sides 6 to form spring clamps for the tubular front wheel supporting member I2 when they are extended into surface engaging position of the front wheels.

Although I have shown and described my invention with respect to certain details of construction, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be unduly limited thereto, certain modifications being possible without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A collapsible vehicle of the class described comprising a body formed with rearwardly and downwardly opening cavities in its sides, bodily movable rear and front wheels adapted to be swung'into the cavities, a shaft to which the rear wheels are secured for bodily movement therewith into the cavities, a front wheel support,

a shaft to which the front wheel support is attached for swinging movement into a cavity, a

plate movable longitudinally by rotation of the front wheel shaft, said plate being provided with a cam slot with which the rear wheel shaft engages, a slotted crank arm attached to the rear wheel shaft to rotate therewith, and a pin attached to the plate and extending through the slot in the crank arm for adjusting the relative bodily turning movement of the front and rear wheels.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, a body portion formed with rearwardly and downwardly opening cavities in its sides, front and rear supporting wheels for the vehicle, sheaves covering the wheels and opening downwardly when the vehicle is resting on the wheels, bodily swinging tubular wheel supporting members plvotally supported upon the body, each provided adjacent its lower end with a transverse opening, a wheel supporting stem extending into the lower end of a tubular member, said stem being provided with a fiat portion, a tie plate extending between the outer ends of the tubular members, and a spring mounted on the underside of the tie plate and extending through the slot in the tubular member into engagement with the flat portion of the wheel supporting stem.

4. In a vehicle of the class described, a body portion formed with rearwardly and downwardly opening cavities in its sides, a pair of rear wheels, bodily movable supports for said rear wheels, a rotatable shaft to which the rear wheel supports are attached, a pair of front wheels, bodily mov able supports for the front wheels, a supporting shaft to which one of the front wheel supports is attached, the wheel supports being bodily movable into concealed position in the side cavities by swinging movement of the front wheel supports, a plate having a slot therein through which the rear wheel shaft extends, said plate connecting between the front supporting shaft and the rear wheel supporting shaft movable endwise responsive to the rotation of the front wheel supporting shaft, and eccentricmeans carried by the rear wheel supporting shaft having a slot therein, a pin on said plate near the slot in said plate, said pin extending through the slot in said eccentric means to rotate the rear wheel supporting shaft as the rear wheel supporting shaft engages successive positions along the slot in said slotted plate.

WILLIAM O. VARNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 824,622 Butterworth June 26, 1906 870,739 McIntyre Nov. 12, 1907 1,093,322 Foyer Apr. 14, 1914 1,113,280 Ambler Oct. 13, 1914 1,125,441 Bailey Jan. 19, 1915 1,591,681 Pinheiro July 6, 1926 2,171,013 Stinson Aug. 29, 1939 2,241,799 Welsh May 13, 1941 2,276,792 Peltier Mar. 17, 1942 2,300,425 Kiesow -Nov. 3, 1942 2,552,656 Vargo May 15, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 238,409 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1925 

